


Hongbin's Regular

by alunsina



Series: vixxmas ficathon fills [14]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, First Meetings, Humor, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28356237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alunsina/pseuds/alunsina
Summary: Jaehwan having a mental breakdown over one of Hongbin’s regulars isn't part of Hakyeon's worst case scenarios.written for the prompt "Hakyeon/Taekwoon - of fated meetings at a coffee shop"
Relationships: Cha Hakyeon | N/Jung Taekwoon | Leo
Series: vixxmas ficathon fills [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/908610
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25
Collections: 2020 party!





	Hongbin's Regular

There are many things that Hakyeon had imagined going wrong in running a shift without Hongbin in the frontlines to manage the cash register. These are mostly logistical ones: not having enough people to deal with the morning rush, the inevitable revolt of some of Hongbin’s more dedicated fangirls (and fanboys), the noticeable dent in the coffee shop's income without someone pretty with dimples to lure them past the glass doors. These are not without solutions though. There’s a new hire that’s willing to take extra shifts, Wonshik comes in to work several times a week too, and Jaehwan can be pretty charming and funny even towards the most disgruntled of customers. Plus, Hakyeon has his own appeal to work the crowd if needed.  
  
(“No, hyung. Oh god, no. There’s a reason we all established the No Hakyeon Beyond This Line with the boss.” Wonshik made a slashing motion across the floor, right where the area of cash registers and pastry displays began. “Not every customer wants a half hour conversation with their coffee order.”  
  
And this was just after scheduling his week off. Ungrateful brat.)  
  
Jaehwan having a mental breakdown over one of Hongbin’s regulars isn't part of Hakyeon's worst case scenarios.  
  
“-not saying anything. He just keeps staring at me, at my soul, like he knows that I ate a pint of chocolate chip ice cream last night and didn’t leave Binnie any.”  
  
Hakyeon looks up from his failed attempts at making muffins, more like bird feed at this point, and sees Jaehwan at the open kitchen doors, not quite holding himself together. Hakyeon tries not to sound bitter, “Sorry, you know I’m not allowed to go out there because of the line-“  
  
"-tall. Really sharp scary eyes. I know how you always remind us how to greet and treat the customers well but what if he’s a psychopath, hyung? We ruined his afternoon coffee routine because we don’t have Binnie’s face and he doesn’t respond well to my animal impressions and then there’ll be blood on the counters and you don’t want poor Hyukkie to clean up all that mess. Help me out just this once!”  
  
“-the line?“  
  
Jaehwan shakes his head. “We’ll waive it for now.”  
  
“For the rest of the week.”  
  
Jaehwan scrunches his face in thought. Both Hongbin and Wonshik are more strict in keeping Hakyeon out of face-to-face customer interaction (or flirting, or talking a stranger’s ears off). But Hongbin is obviously not here and cramming for his midterms, Wonshik won't be coming in until later, and Jaehwan’s more lenient without their backing.  
  
“All right,” Jaehwan says. Hakyeon can hear Sanghyuk suppress a gasp near one of the bigger espresso machines. For someone only three weeks into this job he seems well-versed with the more weird rules of the coffee shop.  
  
“Hyukkie, please take care of the muffins.” Hakyeon smiles before checking his appearance at one of the mirrors hanging in the back kitchen.  
  
Binnie's regular does seem to have a really intense stare. It probably doesn't help that he doesn't blink as much as Hakyeon's used to in regular eye contact with strangers. But he does have these pinchable cheeks that make him look more adorable than scary.  
  
“Hello! What can I get you? Sorry, you must have been surprised that Hongbin’s not here today but he’ll be back next week.” The guy doesn’t change expression but he must’ve heard Hakyeon; there’s almost an imperceptible nod in his direction. “So what it’ll be?”  
  
Again a blank stare. This time the guy takes a moment to look at the menu above Hakyeon’s head, his cheeks and the exposed bit of neck under his collar turning red under the extended silence. And man, he is not a psychopath at all. Had it not been for the counter between them, Hakyeon might’ve launched himself and hugged the poor guy to death.  
  
Four minutes in and the guy still hasn’t placed his order. It’s a good thing that Hakyeon’s infinitely patient with these types (and that the coffee shop is half-empty as well). “You look like a white chocolate mocha kind of person. How about it?”  
  
Hakyeon gets another one of those nods so he punches the order in, thinks he’d be pushing it to force the poor guy into telling him his name. He prepares the mocha, fast and with extra whip, and smiles extra wide as the guy totters (totters!) up the counter to get his order.  
  
“White chocolate mocha with extra whip for the cool chic guy in a button up.” Hakyeon says and is in prime viewing spot when the guy ducks his head in response, trying to hide his face.  
  
“Oh he was terribly cute, Jaehwan. I’m feeling envious of Hongbin all of a sudden,” Hakyeon shares over his break and he can almost ignore Jaehwan do a spit-take of his stolen cookie.  
  
“Cute. I didn’t know the definition involved possible serial killers.”  
  
Sanghyuk wipes the counter between them. Obviously eavesdropping but Hakyeon enjoys an audience.  
  
“You should’ve seen his face when he didn’t know what to order – he was probably flustered at being forced to say things out loud to a complete stranger. Seriously, I’m going to steal him away from Hongbin. He'd be _my_ regular.”  
  
Wonshik rolls his eyes. “There’d be nothing to steal if he doesn’t come back, hyung. You probably scared him off drinking coffee for good." Jaehwan laughs in response, loud and braying. Hakyeon decides the floor needs another mopping and look, two spare employees who clearly have too much time in their hands.

The next day is no different: morning rush, dealing with the mild disappointment of Hongbin’s fans, ignoring his staff's mild jabs of ‘don’t cross the line, hyung’ which he’s crossing very well, thank you. Hakyeon doesn’t even remember white chocolate mocha chic guy until Hakyeon’s occupying one of the empty tables near the cash register, trying to fill up order forms for their next supply delivery, when Jaehwan’s mimes a ‘save me!’ behind the counter.  
  
Hakyeon tucks his pen behind his ears and marches up to offer his assistance. “What is it? Oh, it’s the cutie from yesterday! I made that coffee really well huh?” The guy ducks his head down again and Jaehwan boggles at them both like Hakyeon’s just unlocked the mysteries of the universe. “White chocolate mocha again? Or you want something else?”  
  
“Latte.”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“Latte is fine.” The voice is soft and gentle, entirely unexpected from someone with such a piercing gaze and strong presence that Hakyeon finds himself grinning back.  
  
“I think ‘cool chic guy in a black sweater’ is somewhat of a mouthful to say,” Hakyeon raises his eyebrows and tries not to mind Wonshik gagging from behind Jaehwan’s shoulder.  
  
“It’s Taekwoon,” Cool, chic, _Taekwoon says_. Then stealing a glance up Hakyeon's face, breathing in deep, he adds, "You?"  
  
"Me? Ah no, I'm not having coffee-"  
  
"Your name?" Taekwoon asks and someone must've dropped something, because there's a clattering noise from the back, or possibly Hakyeon's having hearing problems, because what? He's supposed to be the one working up the customer and not the other way around.  
  
"His name is Cha Hakyeon, our manager and sometimes baker," Wonshik offers, bless him. "He usually works in the back to get the pastries done."  
  
"Ahhh. I see," Taekwoon nods, even if Hakyeon does not 'see' at all. He then places the cash on the counter like he’s dropping off an explosive and gets the hell out of reach before Hakyeon can think about what just happened. His cheeks feels warm.  
  
"Wow," Jaehwan blinks, slow, as if coming back down to earth from some far-off planet. “Did I just watch serial-killer guy hit back on Hakyeon hyung? Well I appreciate the thought you’re keeping our Binnie safe, hyung, but I really don’t like blood staining our counters. It’ll be a bitch to clean.”  
  
“Hyung likes to live dangerously, I guess,” Hyuk says, handing off the steaming mug of latte over to Hakyeon. He would be cuffing the kid at the back of his neck if it hadn’t been for the hot beverage in his hands. “Now make yourself useful, hyung, and give the guy his coffee and your number.”

**Author's Note:**

> Admittedly, 95% of this was written a long, long, looooong time ago when I was still new to the fandom. Unearthed this WIP when it seemed appropriate for the prompt, cleaned it up as best as I could and made it a short standalone. Unbeta'd. Thanks for reading!


End file.
